New Life
by Joon
Summary: Koumyou sees the start of Ukoku Sanzo. Spoilers for the Kamisama and Burial arcs.


The story fragment at the beginning of this is from Pen-ek Ratanaruang's film "Last Life In the Universe."

* * *

_One day, the lizard wakes up and finds he's the last lizard in the universe. His friends and family are gone. The lizard is all alone. He misses his family and friends, even his enemies. "It's better being with your enemies than being alone." That's what he thought. Staring at the sunset he thinks, "What is the point in living if I don't have anyone to talk to?" _ - The Last Lizard

* * *

Eventually, Koumyou found him at a small bookstore near the center of the village.

It was the morning of their departure from the capital of Shangri-La and Koumyou had gone to the room assigned to the newly ordained Sanzo to find it empty. Undisturbed, the older priest had simply gone to breakfast at the temple, knowing Ukoku had not just left during the night. After eating, Koumyou had strolled into the already active village square to find the missing priest sitting just outside of the bookstore, flipping through a thin, colorful book.

"You missed breakfast," announced Koumyou as he approached him.

Looking up from his reading, Ukoku smiled. "The food they serve at that temple is worth the miss."

At first glance, Ukoku Sanzo looked just the way he did when Koumyou had first spotted him. When he'd still been Ken'yuu. Sociable, charming and ever so slightly smug. The look had been absent for the last week, the days following the death of Goudai Sanzo and the birth of Ukoku Sanzo. If asked, others would have guessed Ken'yuu's lack of happiness at reaching the most exalted title a priest could achieve had do to with the method in which he'd earned it. But Koumyou didn't think so. Ken'yuu hadn't looked ashamed or guilty that night he'd stood next to his former master's body, slow falling tears mingling with the blood on his face.

No, Ken'yuu had looked afraid. Trapped. Like a man whose world had gotten significantly smaller and claustrophobic.

During their long journey from the Zen'Ou temple to Shangri-La's capital, Ken'yuu had barely spoken, responding in one word sentences to Koumyou's tries at conversation. Instead, Ken'yuu had maintained the muted, deadened demeanor that he'd adopted when Koumyou had announced to him they would need to go to the Sanbutsushin for him to receive his new status as Sanzo. But it seemed something had happened after Ken'yuu had been officially ordained as Ukoku Sanzo. Something had changed, widening Ken'yuu's world a little, inspiring the return of that smile. Ken'yuu's smile. Only now it was Ukoku's smile and thus, already a little different. Even more charming, even less sincere.

The older priest's eyes glanced up toward Ukoku's forehead. To the naked space where the chakra, marking him as one chosen by divinity to be a Sanzo priest, had yet to appear.

_Ah, _Koumyou thought. _Of course._

"What are you reading?" asked the blond Sanzo aloud, taking a seat next to Ukoku on the steps. The younger man lifted up the book to show him.

"It's a children's story," Ukoku explained, though the simplistic cover was probably enough of an indicator. "When I was young, our teacher would read it to us."

"Oh?"

Ukoku opened the book to a random spot and ran a hand lightly over the colorful illustrations. "It's about a lizard who realizes he's the last of his kind. He has no other lizard to talk to or interact with. Kids in my class felt sad for the lizard that he would die of loneliness."

"That's probably true," Koumyou replied. Crossing his legs, he laid his elbow across his knee and leaned his head against his hand. "Sounds like a depressing story. Is it appropriate for children?" he asked, tilting his head toward the younger priest.

Ukoku gave him a look that was half amused and half confused. The latter most likely inspiring the former. "As a kid, I used to think the poor lizard would probably sooner die of boredom, having no one to play with." The smile twisted slightly, until it seemed a little contemptuous. As if Ukoku was scoffing at his younger self. "I was scared for the lizard back then, thinking about how agonizing it must be to die that way."

The image of Ken'yuu standing in Goudai's blood that night rose up in Koumyou's mind again.

"But now, I see, it was all so foolish to think that way," he heard Ukoku continue, a laugh in his voice. "The lizard is the last of his kind. So I would tell him to find a rat to play with."

Before Koumyou could respond, they were interrupted by a matronly woman who came out from inside the store.

"Was that the right book, Sanzo-sama?" she asked.

"Ah, it's just the one!" Ukoku nodded with a smile that was as warm as a painting of the sun. "Thank you for finding it for me."

"Not at all, Sanzo-sama," the woman replied, looking all too pleased and half-flustered. Living so nearby the temple where the Sanbutsushin resided meant she most likely saw more Sanzo priests coming through the town than most monks ever did in other areas. But she'd never seen one so young or one with such a charming demeanor. "We have a reading room in the back if you'd like to read it there," she offered.

"No, no," Ukoku waved off as he got to his feet. "I've decided to buy it."

Koumyou waited outside, thinking over the lizard's story when Ukoku exited with his book, now neatly wrapped in stiff paper. "We should be going soon," said Koumyou, noting the sun was now well up. "The Teisen temple will be expecting their new priest."

"About that," said Ukoku. "I've decided not to go."

"Oh?" Koumyou looked surprised, but Ukoku knew that didn't necessarily mean he was.

"I'll write a letter on the road to explain. I'm sure they'll be able to find someone else to run the place. I can't settle down right now. I'll need to travel around for a bit." There was a faint look in the younger Sanzo's eyes. The look of someone who knew exactly what he needed to find and was set on finding it. The look of scavengers searching for a carcass. "Besides, this works out well for you," he continued, lightly. "You no longer have to deliver me to them, which means you can return to Kinzan that much sooner."

"Very true."

"After all," Ukoku added a smile that reached his eyes and yet still remained lacking. "You don't want to stay away from your Kouryu too long. Especially not during his formative years. Who knows what sort of trouble he might end up in without your guidance?"

There was a pause where Koumyou didn't reply, but his face remained as serene or as blank, depending on how Ukoku chose to judge it, as ever. Finally, the older Sanzo gave a nod that did not show the sense of resignation he felt in knowing the things he could not force. "Then I suppose we shall say goodbye here," he said. "I am disappointed we won't be traveling a bit further together." That was sincere.

"Here." Ukoku held out the wrapped book. "For you. You can give it to Kouryu….if you deem it appropriate for a child his age," he added, humorously.

Koumyou took the offered gift. "Thank you." Despite having only been one for 24 hours, Ukoku looked already comfortable in his role as a Sanzo priest. The indicating robes oddly suited him, as did the sutra entrusted to him, now slung over his shoulders. He looked every bit a Sanzo.

Except the missing chakra on his forehead. And it was this absence that he seemed to wear with the most amount of pride. Koumyou supposed it might appear one day. But he highly doubted it. He knew Ukoku hoped it never would. It left his world a little less small.

Reaching over, the older priest placed a hand on Ukoku's thin shoulder, his fingers touching the words of the Muten sutra. "I hope you will come visit us soon, Ukoku."

"Of course," he answered. "When the time comes, I won't be able to stay away."

Koumyou nodded, letting his hand fall from the sutra. "What will you do in the mean time?"

Ukoku's mouth curved upward. "Find some rats."

THE END


End file.
